Maximum Ride: Finding Myself
by FaxFanLover4ever
Summary: Max and Fang are apart, each regretting the split. How can each move on when memories and pasts keep popping up? Do thier lives depend on each other living? More importantly, does the world? Find out, as the everpersistant apocalypes comes on.It's Soon.
1. Chapter 1

Maximum Ride; Finding Myself, Chapter 1

Slamming the laptop closed I flipped open my window and heaved it out. There. Gone. Forever. Just like _he_ was. I had stayed up all night reading the files Fang had left on the old laptop, as Nudge wouldn't let me use the new one. I read everything there, all of it.

But I had no need for it now; I needed to get on with my life. Leaning out the window I watched as the laptop of my cursed life flew down the mountainside.

Turning back to my room I changed into fresh jeans and a black t-shirt. Black was his favorite color. _Don't think about him Max!_ I told myself harshly. _There's no use in crying, he's gone for good!_

Of course, that was the wrong thing to say. I collapsed in tears, not even making it to my bed. Checking the clock through my tears, I saw it was 4: 30. Huh. No wonder all was unusually quiet.

Writing a note for the Flock, telling them not to worry and such, I pulled on a sweatshirt and hoodie. Jumping out my window I let the tears come. Pulling out my wings I flew down the mountainside, unsure where to go. Then it hit me.

Not litterally, of course. The old abandon cabin. It was probably in ruins from Gazzy and Iggy's bomb, but it would offer cover and privacy for me to sort out my feelings. Wheeling through the sky I used a technique we learned from the hawks. The one that Fang had been practicing when I discovered my speed-of-light flying skill.

Choked sobs burst through my throat. I was such a sap lately. Through my tears I spotted the ruined cabin. Tucking my wings in I dive-bombed down to the house. Pulling my wings out at the last second, I landed in the edge of the roof.

I looked at the house, once our favorite hiding place, now the home of destruction. Two walls had stayed up, the other two collapsed. The roof was tilted, one end completely touching the ground.

Talk about an efficient bomb.

Folding my wings in I shook out my legs before climbing through an Iggy shaped hole. Ouch. Jumping I landed lightly on the floor. Dust covered everything. Finding a couch pillow I dug a hole barely big enough for me in the debris and trash and crawled in. Positioning the pillow so my back could lean against it, I sighed heavily sounding like a gale and settled down. Tears sloshed down my face, drying in the heat of the trash. Fang.

Fang had left me a lot of thinking to do, mostly about him.


	2. Chapter 2

Maximum Ride; Finding Myself, Chapter 2

Fang flew down to a tree, colapsing with exhaustion. Pulling off his backpack he popped the twist on a bottle of water and opened a bag of chips. Swigging it down like his life depended on it, he finished off the water and got up, munching on the Doritos. Walking farther into the forest, he found a deserted cave.

" Think this looks good?" he asked, and then slapped himself on the forehead. _Max isn't here,_ he reminded himself. Max was with Dylan, that jerk, but she was safe.

Finishing off the chips he licked his finger, wiping them on his jeans, before folding up the bag and stuffing it in his pocket.

_What are you doing!_ his mind screamed. _Why isn't Max with you? Why did you leave her!_

Every painful heartbeat reminded him Max wasn't here. She'd probably forgotten who he was and was off making out with Dylan. Fang couldn't blame her. Dylan was stronger, Bigger and more muscular-looking than he was. But he was also younger.

Gritting his teeth he sat down pulling off his backpack. Positioning it so it was like a lumpy pillow, he leaned his head against it, willing himself to sleep.

Sleep had never come easily. Fang found himself listening for Max's breathing, but all was quiet. It'd be easier if she were here, he thought miserably. to her her breathing sleep with the warmth of her body in the cave with him...

Giving up on sleep completely, he sat up.

He had a lot of thinking to do, most of it about Max


	3. Chapter 3

Maximum Ride; Finding Myself, Chapter 3

Max. Her smile. Her frown. Her kicking butt( preferably not his.) The more Fang thought of her, the harder it was not to turn back. But that dweeb Dylan was right, his being there put her in danger, and suprisingly he wasn't that selfish. Not yet, anyway.

Searching his mind he thought of every memorable time hhe had with her. Like the time they had been sparring, and Max had dislocated her shoulder trying a new street-fighting move Jeb had taught them. She had staggered around, Jeb talking to her, and then, POP! her shoulder was back to normal. Jeb had gone inside to get her a lemonade, and he'd walked over to her, unsure of what to say or do. Sensing him there she had lifted her head and said, " Thanks, Jerk," and had slugged him right below... the... stomach. Hard.

Another time, she had been flying and dropped on him from above, wrapping her arms and legs around him, trying to make him run into a tree.

The time Jeb took them to a store, Wal-Mart, he thought, and Max had found two rubber spiders. She dropped one down his and Iggy's backs, and them laughed histarically as the danced, trying to rid themselfs of the gooey things. That night, he had put a frog in her bed, only to find it sitting on his face when he woke up.

He tried not to scream, and settled on a strangled cry, which of course brought everyone running.

Later Max had panomimed his face, which had collapsed them all in a laughing heap.

Max dumping macaroni on his head after he spit it out, as it was her first attempt at cooking. Max putting out the fire that Iggy started on _his_ first attempt to cook, sraying the white foam everywhere. Later, they had made themselves Santa's, With jolly white beards and mustaches.

Standing up Fang ran out of the forest, and jumped, flapping his wings. _This is pathetic,_ he thought. _I need a_ _goal, a destraction._ Thinking he came up with an idea. Canada. That was where Iggy had wanted to go.

Iggy. Even thinking of him brought pangs of longing and sorrow. Not that Fang knew what either of those feelings were, but still, you get the point.

Using his raptor-vision, he saw a small town. Wheeling in an arc, Fang turned to the area.

Top four things on his list of To-Do's for today were:

1. To find a town with a computer

2. Do a new blog, telling fans the Flock had split and not to worry before Max got Nudge to do it

3. Get a nice hotel room using the cash he had taken from Max's bank card (he hoped she didn't mind) so he could have a good night's rest, and

4. Find out where the heck Canada was (Was it a state or continent? He didn't know.)

Pulling in his wings he descended, already tasting the burger he was going to buy for breakfast.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Shoving my way out of my hole, I climbed through the window. Looking up, I saw the sun break the horizon line. This meant the Flock would be waking up soon. Dive-bombing off the roof I poured on my skill and flew like the wind. Faster, actually.

Flying through the canyon at lightning speed I felt something lightly brush my head. Looking up I saw the, wait, laptop flying at me? It hit me in the stomach and I grabbed it. So much for getting rid of it. But the more I thought about its uses, the more I realized what a valuable hunk-of-junk I had almost destroyed.

Flying up to my window I pulled my wings in at the last second and landed with a small _tap_ on the floor.

Stashing the cyber hunk of doom under my bed, I ran my fingers lightly over my tangled hair. My hand got stuck, and I ripped it out. I really needed a hairbrush soon.

Pulling off the sweatshirt and throwing it on my bed, I walked across the hall to wash up. Thunks downstairs told me the Flock and Dylan were up, possibly eating without me. No, not possibly, most likely.

Closing the door I turned and was almost shocked at my appearance. Tears streaked my face, as well as scraps of black soot and garbage. Eew.

Washing my face, I grabbed a hand towel and scrubbed my face dry. Looking at my shiny and now slightly red face, I was a bit more satisfied with my look.

Walking downstairs I turned into the kitchen.

The Flock sat there eating, Iggy still frying something yummy smelling in the frying pan.

Hearing my footsteps Iggy dumped the substance on what I guessed was my plate and Held it out to me.

Grabbing it quickly I walked over to the table, famished from my fly.

Iggy followed, turning off the oven before he sat down beside me.

Digging into my food I looked at all that was on my plate. Cinnamon rolls, about twenty, half covered in regular icing and the other half in a sweet-smelling orange icing, were stacked high on the edge of my plate. About six plate sized pancakes were folded and covered in syrup on another section of the plate.

Hash-browns with ketchup on them were overlapping the eggs, which were half fried and half scrambled.

Angel, Gazzy, Nudge, and Iggy had finished their food, and Dylan was almost done. Dylan ate what we Flock kids consider a human-sized serving. This was amazing considering the awkward way he flew, seeming to use more effort than needed. Combined with the fact that he had a human body weight, which he had to hold up while flying it was truly remarkable.

Dylan finished about the same time as I did, which was funny 'cause he only had about three bites left when I started eating. Huh, I must be hungrier than I thought or he must be a really slow eater. Both probably, though I think the latter was more of the reason.

"So," I said to him. "Today we teach you the art of Street-Fighting." Grinning somewhat evilly, I waited for his reaction. He turned visibly paler. "Good. We start in an hour. Just give me that long for my food to digest."

Walking out of the room it was all I could do not to shake my head, which I did as soon as I was out of his sight. Poor sap. _I sure had my work cut out for me_, I thought wryly. No help from him, of course.


	5. Chapter 5

Maximum Ride: Finding Myself, Chapter 5

Crack! Dylan head flipped sideways with a loud sound. Ouch. Iggy stopped, slightly breathing hard, and tried to listen for Dylan breathing. Yes, I let the blind kid fight first, 'cause I wanted to see how good Dylan was with no immediate danger or adrenaline in his body. 'Cause I'm nice like that. If you read between the lines right there, that meant, "Sorry Iggy! Don't be offended!"

Iggy found Dylan, which I could have done, he was breathing that hard. Dylan was sitting up, which was a good sign, meaning nothing was broken.' Cause the last thing we need is medical people swarming the area.

"You OK?" I asked offering my hand to him. He nodded, wiping his bloody nose on his sleeve before taking my hand.

"Angel?" I called her. Her blond head bobbed up in the sunlight, looking at me. "How 'bout you have a go?"

Dylan groaned." Thanks, Max. Way to boost my self-esteem, by getting beat up by a seven-year old."

I shook my head, trying in vain to hide a smile. "Then fight dude!" Iggy said. "You're as about as exciting as a sack of potatoes."

Ok, I was trying to be Miss Tender for Others Feelings, but Iggy had hit the nail on the head. Dylan was about as fast as your average slug, and had as much will to fight as I had to sing.

And I don't sing. At all.

Inwardly groaning, I watched as Dylan and Angel set up to fight.

"ON your mark, GET set, GOOOO!" Nudge screamed and stepped out of the way.

I won't bore you with all the details, but here is a rough sketch of what happened.

Angel's fist slammed into his head. Angel's knee went in his stomach. Angel's foot kicked between his legs. He staggered and bent down, allowing Angel to scissor-kick his neck. He went down, and she stood, winner, hair flying away in the wind like a movie scene.

"CUT!" Gazzy yelled. "This isn't a movie, Gazzy." I told him, mentally wishing I just hadn't had an extremely funny thought. I mean, if this was a movie, it'd be reversed. Wouldn't it?

But ya had to hand it to the poor sap; he didn't give up until he was down. Perseverance goes a long way with me, if you're in my Good Book. Which I couldn't tell with him just yet.

I mean he had worked for a psycho-path. Dr. Gummy Hanz, the guy whose pic you'd see if you looked up: The-most-moronic-idiot-and-guy-who-will-destroy-the-earth in the dictionary.

No, I'm not sure that's really in there, but it should be. And his real name was Dr. Gunther Hagen, bit I like the first one better. Let me tell that guy once and for all: there's a reason body parts are _inside_ you, rather than on the _outside._ Sicko.

The grunts of Angel trying to sweetly help Dylan up brought me back to the real world.

Absentmindedly I reached out my hand and he took it. Pulling him up took all my strength, with Angel helping.

Man! He needed to go on a diet! He weighed as much as a grown man.

I guess he got skipped in the lightweight genes.

Up, he looked me straight in the eyes, and told me the worst thing he ever could have thought of in his life.

4 words.

" I wanna fight you."

Iggy and Gazzy stopped rolling around in the grass, and Nudge looked up from gathering strawberries in surprise. "You... Wanna... Fight... _Max!"_ was predictably her first reply_._

"Are you _bonkers?"_

"Dude, do you have anything valuable?" The Gasman asked him.

"Valuable as in...?" Dylan prompted him.

"Valuable as in something you want to give someone to remember you by." Iggy told him. "'Cause there isn't gonna be nothing' left of you but a bag-o'-bones.

Dylan visibly paled at that, and I tried to keep my guts inside me by not laughing.

Finally I could help it, and choked out," I'll be right back."

Half running, half flying with my wings spread wide I had to get out of there. On the top of the hill I fell over laughing like a maniac, and rolled down the other side, I couldn't help it.

Literally.

If I had an Indian name, it would be this: The-One-Who-Laughes-Incontrollaby-And-Can't-Help-Herself.

Or something like that.

Wheezing I sat up, just to fall over in another fit of giggles. See what stress does to you? It turns you into a sleep and sensible deprived goofball of the millennium. Or longer.

Did I mention how I couldn't stop laughing?

It was all so hilarious, and I finally sat up and wiped the tears from my eyes.

Standing me wobbled and laughed, before flying back up the hill and back to my Flock. I landed with out falling over and busting a gut, so points to me.

"What was that about?" asked Gazzy. "Nothing," I mumbled trying to get my emotions under control.

Turning to Dylan, I set up to fight. He returned the gesture, feet and hands ready for the ultimate smack down. With him going down.

This isn't going to end well for him.


	6. Chapter 6

Maximum Ride: Finding Myself, Chapter 6

He looked at me expectantly, as if waiting for me to make the first move.

I didn't.

Because Rule # 1: NEVER make the first move. It shows you are cocky and gives your opponent the chance to lash out at you.

So there, Dylan.

He cocked his head, raised an eyebrow, and then settled his feet firmly on the ground limbs splayed out fists ready to punch. Violation of Rule #2: stand with a sideways stance to decrease amount of possible hitting area.

This was not going to last long.

Dylan lashed out, just where his fist was pointed. Amateur. I stepped back and flipped out my wings. "Always, always, be ready to take the fight to another level." I told him, my voice deathly calm. Then jumping off the top of the hill I pushed down with my wings, hard, and flew up into the sky. Calmly, I flapped my wings, hovering and waited for him to come to me. Rule # 4: NEVER go to your opponent, let them come to you. (Or _make_ them come to you.)That's always the way to get hurt.

He awkwardly pushed out his wings and heavily flew up towards me.

I make it sound like he is horrible at flying, because he is. What's sad is he's improved greatly since I first pushed him off the roof...

"U and A, now!" I screamed maniacally, before streaking off into the late morning sun. I heard Iggy give a whoop and hoot of laughter, and had to momentarily turn around to smile and see where he was.

Dylan was about 300 yards from where the Flock was, which was about a mile away from me. The only way I could see them was by using, of course, my awesome raptor vision. (Duh!)

Realizing this was almost too good to be true, I took advantage that no one, not even Angel, had there eyes on me- all were on Dylan, trying to help him, a lot- and closed my mind. Thinking of one thing that created a barrier so strong that not even Angel could sense my thoughts. I know this because we had tried it just the night before, and it worked.

I thought of Fang, his eyes, his wings, his silky overlong hair that was always in his eyes..., just _him_, and pulled my wings in.

I flew, pardon me, _fell,_ through the sky, and at the last possible moment, about 3 feet from the ground, pulled my wings out and almost had them yanked off my back.

Yowch!

Landing on the ground, I pulled my wings in and ran towards the initial place where Dylan's lessons started, ducking under bushes and trees whenever the Flock's voices got to close to stay hidden, all the while thinking of that one thing.

I made it back to where we started, knowing one of the Flock, or possibly even Dylan ( because he's alpha boy with the super sight power), would suggest coming back here.

I plopped down by the strawberry patch and plucked a few ripe ones, sucking on the juicy skin and soft chewy inside. I grabbed a couple more, then laid down to look at the sky, the rolling puff white clouds - which reminded me of my first poem...- and the few birds that actually could fly and breathe up this high.

I heard the Flock before I saw them, their reassuring voices telling Dylan I was O.K., and quickly was gifted by God with a sudden spurt of a genius idea.

I grabbed a few

I grabbed a few overly ripe berries, broke the skin, and rubbed the blood red juice all over my body, making it look like I was fatally wounded. I lay down, closed my eyes, and smeared the last bits over my face, before tucking the berry skins in my jacket pocket.

The affects were astounding; I could immediately fell the tension I had created. Wait until I revealed the joke, they'd be laughing at my genius and his stupidity for weeks.

Dylan landed, running to my side, and screamed things to the Flock like:" She's hurt!" Or, "Do Something!" Even, " You idiots, she's going to die thanks to your misunderstanding." The most embarrassing of all coming from his was," And I want even get to tell her how much I love her!"

I felt the Flocks stupid, disbelieving, (and possibly comically amazed) gazes pierce my back as Dylan rolled me over.

And that's when all hecks broke loose.

I flipped over and spun my body in a 90 degree turn, knocking Dylan off his feet. Before he knew it, I decked him twice: a shiner on his eye and a serious bruise on his left jaw. He stopped stunned, and them, a second too late, realized what he had done.

He had walked right into the trap.

_My_ _trap_.

He threw a punch that brushed harmlessly off my back like a blade of grass. I spun around, socked him right in the gut and when he bent over, and round house kicked him under his chin, flipping him on his back.

I stood over him one foot pressing hard on his chest, almost suffocating him, but not quite. All of this happened in about a minute, but I wasn't done just yet.

I leaned over him, doing as much of a job as one could by trying to get in his face while keeping a safe distance.

"You _love_ me?" I said in a mocking voice.

"News for you, buddy," I went on," _I DON'T!"_

I jumped up over him, pushing out my wings, but not pulling them up until I had landed on his stomach with a satisfying, "OOOOMMPH!" from Dylan then left.

Streaking off into the sun, unbrushed curls tangling everywhere, headed back to the safety of my room, and the protection from real, hard, cold, cruel life by my dreams.


	7. Chapter 7

Maximum Ride: Finding Myself, Chapter 7

Fang stared at the ghost town, with a look of stupidity and disbelief that would have made Max laugh... Hard.

Running and his hand through his hair, only to have it fall promptly back into his eyes. So much for a town with civilization. How about one with at least one living thing? ... Besides moss that was everywhere.

He turned in a full three-sixty and thought about a place to go instead. Oklahoma... Louisiana... Mississippi...Kansas... Texas.

Texas.

Texas!

That was where he would go. Fang couldn't say why, but he felt drawn to the place, perhaps because this was where he had kissed Max on their mission to find a house.

Even now, her beauty, as then, took his breath away.

Her hair, her chocolate eyes, and her gorgeous brown speckled wings.

Her lips, soft as a cloud, sure as God.

Just... Max.

Fang stomach grumbled, one thing added to the list of many things wrong with him lately.

# 1... Maxsickness

# 2... Heartache

# 3... He really could go one, but got back to the immediate situation.

Where _in_ Texas would he go?

The only two places he knew for sure were in Texas were Austin, and El Paso. Fang really didn't fell like going to the over populated, hyperventilating capitol, so El Paso it was.

He flipped out his wings, and, running lightly, jumped into the air.

Down-stroking hard, he wheeled in the sky, adjusting his feather tips in the - by his internal senses- direction of El Paso, just like the hawks taught him.

He wondered if there would be any vacation houses he could hijack, just to get some food and Z's. 'Cause both he and the good lord both knew he wouldn't make it if he was outta fuel.

Then he might not last to see Max.

He set a mental timer. On your mark, Get set, GO! And was off.

Streaking as fast as he could to El Paso, he hoped, and beating his wings up and down like a maniac.

The race was on.


	8. Chapter 8

Finding Myself: Maximum Ride, Chapter 8

Let's review how bored I am, shall we?

I am so bored, I have sung the 99 bottles of beer song, then changed the lyrics to juice, soda, water, lemonade, and slushies.

Then my voice ran out.

So here I lay, after beating up Dylan that day, in my bed at midnight. I'm making _poetry_, that's how bored I am.

Finally, unable to stand it any longer , I got up out of my bed and opened my window seat door, out into my personal private upstairs patio.

Well, at least as private as you can get with flying bird kids.

Oh well.

Standing up on the patio, surrounded by a beatiful full moon and dark sky, I barely had time to soak it in before beginning to bawl uncontrollably.

Tears ran down my face, soaking my silk tanktop and even dripping on my basketball shorts.

Yeah, I know, weird pajama's. But who cares?

Wind swirled around me like my own personal tornado, whipping my tangled hair and soaked top around like a washer on tumble cycle.

_Why_ I am crying?

Midnight reminded me of Fang, and how I missed him, thus setting off a chain reaction on how much I missed Fang, and loved him.

And, yes, now I will admit that.

Climbing up on the Patio ledge I sat down, only to cry some more.

See, this time it reminded me of us sitting on the fishing dock, him holding my hands, then me streaking away into midnight.

What I wouldn't give for the old, uncomplicated relashionship.

Shaking my fist at the moon I screamed, some how finding my voice again.

" I loved him, okay? I admit it! I did love him! I DO love him. I loved him, I loved him, I LOVED HIM!"

I screamed those words like a curse, almost like in the Peter Pan movie where Tink dies, and they all shout,

"I do believe in fairies! I do! I DO!"

But in my case it was too late, and I screamed it one more time before collapsing sideways on the ledge, voice winding out, again, like a dying animal.

I didn't want to get up and walk away. I couldn't. I really couldn't. I just lay there strength leaking from my body, being replaced my sheer misery.

This feeling wasn't like any other I had truly felt before.

Even when Fang had kissed me, and I had run away, alone and scared, I knew I still had two choices: to let myself give in, or to pretend it never happened.

But this, I couldn't have even one choice.

It was right then that I vowed never to love anyone, even Fang, ever again. I swore that into the starry night, my voice flying with the wind so all who listened could hear it.

I slowly let all my emotions, even the happy ones, go. I let them pour out of me like a bucket with holes, never to be filled again.

I let all of it go, until I lay there, an empty shell in a ledge, totally out of feeling. I was beyond that. Those types of things were for naive little kids, and it was time for me to let them up.

Thoughts along the lines of; _But what I Fang comes back soon, and tells you he made a mistake and he loves you and never_ _wants to leave you?_ Ran through my head, but I found it hard to focus on them.

I was _so_ beyond caring now.

Laying there in the blackness, even the feeling of misery slowly leeching out of my body; I heard soft footsteps, padded by slippers.

Normally, I would at least attempt to hide my feelings from the flock, but now I just lay there, hoping that the earth would open me up and swallow me inside it, forever.

"Max?" came a questioning voice, one so tender and sweet, yet the one of my deathbed.

I groaned softly to let him know I heard him, but went right on crying.

He walked over to me, and touched my shoulder. I shivered and withdrew.

He, taking that as I didn't want him to touch me walked away, but came back presently with a blanket which he wrapped me up in like a baby, cradling my head.

He walked me over to my bed where he lay me down, tucked the covers up to my chin, then sat by me slowly but surely patted my head tenderly.

"I had some good news, but I guess it can wait." he said. "Unless, you want to hear it?"

I said nothing, but quietly stopped crying, listening to the sound of heavy breathing.

Dylan took that as a yes, and went on softly, as if talking to an infant.

"I was up on the roof, because I couldn't sleep, and was stargazing with my super eyesight, and looking at the moons of Saturn, which are lovely this month when I suddenly saw Fang, flying in the direction of Texas. I almost called out to him, only to foolishly remember that I was real far away from him. But I saw him, Max! So now, if you want to, we can go get him. But it's up to you."

"I don't care." I whispered sullenly, my voice almost devoid of any emotion other than that.

"I just don't care."

"Max," he said, as if trying to get my attention.

"This is _Fang_ we're talking about." he repeated, before quietly almost unbearable even with my raptor hearing muttering, "Not _me_."

"What's wrong with you?" I snapped, tired of him always talking down on himself.

But then again, maybe I should cut him a break once in a while, just like I should've with Fang too.

And maybe the Cupid of love is real too.

"What do you mean, what's wrong with you?" he asked repeating my very words.

"That's just it," I told him. "Nothing."

"Nothing." I heard him repeat. "Does this mean..?"

Before I could say no, I felt the pressure of his lips on mine, and had no heart to push him away. So we lay there, kissing each other into the night, before he got up and slowly backed away when he thought I was asleep.

"I love you." was the last I heard from him.

_I love you_. The very words I wanted to say to Fang, and hear them said with the feeling I no longer possess back.

But my promise held me back, and I knew that now there would not only be awkwardness between me and Fang, but Dylan as well.

My life just keeps getting better.

But if by better you mean waking up and having heck exploded on you, than yes that is my _better_ future.


	9. Chapter 9

Maximum Ride: Finding Myself Chapters10

Chapter 10

"Quiet!" screamed a lady, and the room suddenly rebounded in total silence.

"Shut up, Valker." a man's French voice reproached. "Ve all know vhy ve are here."

"Oh?" came the voice of the Director, Marian Janssen. "And why would that be, Borcht?"

"Zat is _Ter_ Borcht to you, you sniveling liar!"

"Will you please both just _shut up_!" asked a handsome youth with wavy chestnut hair and tortoise shell eyes.

"If you shut-up to, Doggie! "Came the exasperated French's voice.

"I say, I resemble that remark!" came the pealing musical voice of the red-headed freckle-faced Lissa, who sat next to the brunette youth.

"Just because _you_ don't have any Eraser DNA doesn't mean you have to be jealous of those who have it! I mean, it's not our faults you decided to give me and Sam the better life!"

"Quite right," said a small Asian man. Turning to Lissa he said, "Though I do believe the correct wording is _Sam and I_. No wonder our Erasers are so stupid. They haven't even been taught the basics!"

"Shut up ya stupid lizard boy!" a blonde youth- called Omega- with striking blue eyes exploded.

"You're talking to the girl who almost had that gothic bird boy in her hands! Unlike you, who had your cover blown by that freaking' blind one!"

"It's not my fault you didn't screw my head on properly! Anyway, you shouldn't be talking. _You_ are lucky enough we could give your mindless body a soul, or you'd be like all our other ending creations, _a total failure!"_

"Dylan was not a failure! Now that the gothen one is out of the way, we can dispose of him and rule that entire gad off stupid feather brains!" screamed Dr. Günther Haagen, another well known -for literally flipping your organs inside/out- doctor.

"But you were almost a frozen pile of bloody hell before your minions found you!" the normally quite and composed but now deranged Lissa screeched.

"Omega is right." intoned a green shapeless hulk referred to as the 'Gozen'. "The girl almost had him, as did I."

"But you let zem get avay!" the voice of the sulking Ter Borcht cut in. " And you let ze Uber-Director be destroyed!"

The Director interrupted his cutting remarks with her own comeback. "You let the little girl one bash you up like a toy! Only you would be stupid enough to trust on of them!"

" T'vas not me it vas Baldatcher!"

"Then it _was_ you who was _stupid_ enough to trust _him_!" she returned, eyes blazing with a warning fire.

"Speaking of Jeb, where is that devil's-incarnate?' Dr. Chu intoned." The lying creep was supposed to be here with the thuggies he's sending for the girl's capture over an hour ago!"

"Will you all just shut your mindless voices up!" Anne Walker's clear and evilly cold voice cut in.

"The Head wants to speak to you!"

The Head.

Like magic words the room fell truly silent, each one remembering their last visit with the Head.

While some came out joyful and rewarded, the rest came back with worse things to deal with then what their next paycheck would be.

Slowly and powerfully he rose from his place beside Anne at the front of the table.

To anyone else not in this powerful circle, the Head would look like a jolly Santa Clause, complete with chubby cheeks and a button-red nose. But they knew different. Under his nice exterior masked a truly dark demeanor. One of hell, chaos, and pain.

Which was he was the Head, because he had never failed before.

"We are here today to discuss the eldest bird girl, known currently as experiment 6847-21294/3543, or Maximum Ride. Though we, unsuccessfully, have tried to bring her down, we have also failed to do so with the proper tools." He turned form his almost frantic pacing at the head of the table and stopped, looking each of them in the eye with his inescapable menacing stare. "This is why I called you in, six months ago, to conduct your own studies on the bird kid's strengths, weaknesses, and basically their genetic make-up. Well, your time is up. Today, prepared or no, you tell us about your topics full interest."

Sam raised his hand. "Head, I was aware that you said temporary alliances could be formed due to the undergo of the topics. Lissa here, and myself, have created a twice as long extent study. Are you saying we must all perform our selected duties all in on advanced night?"

The Head smiled, before answering the handsome youth's questions. " Yes, in fact, it will give our Doctor here," he said with a motion to Gunther Haagen," A chance to test his new radio active solider serum. This vial is a small sample of his genius lab conducting experiments. This serum, once injected in your veins, interacts with your bodily function system, combining a few mutual cells together to give your body unlimited energy access, within a five day period."

The Doctor got up, and swiftly injected a series of vile-looking injections into each of the scientists at the lab table.

Appropriately enough, rain began falling and lighting cascaded as thunder boomed as the last of the injections were made, to the Head himself.

The effects were instantaneous. People reacted at their own paces, some screaming horrible blood-curdling screams, while some had their arms legs, and head lolled uncontrollably with spasms.

Suddenly they stopped, and the tormented slowly picked themselves up with a new, profound and scary-like energy.

The Head smiled maniacally, and with three simple words, his doom of the bird kids began.

"Let's_ start now_."


End file.
